Roman Comedy L III P 5
Students in Latin III (Period 5), please add your contributions to our survey of Roman Comedy here. Put your contribution under the play title listed below. The plays of Plautus are listed first (in alphabetical order). Following these are the plays of Terence (listed in chronological order, since we have evidence for the dates of their production). Do not forget to put your initials after the title of your play. PLAUTUS Amphitryo Asinaria Aulularia Bacchides Captivi Casina Cistellaria Curculio Epidicus Menaechmi Mercator Miles Gloriosus Mostellaria Persa Poenulus Pseudolus Ty Nelson 1. Play: Pseudolus ''is a play written by Plautus which is named after its star character, a clever slave. 2. Characters: a. Pseudolus- The clever slave of Simo who helps save Phoenicium b. Simo- Father of Calidorus and master of Pseudolus c. Calidorus- Son of Simo who is in love with Phoenicium d. Phoenicium- The slave girl of Ballio who is being sold to a Macedonian general; in love with Calidorus e. Ballio- a procurer (pimp) who is selling Phoenicium f. Simo- Father of Calidorus and master of Pseudolus g. Harpax- The messenger who has been sent by the Macedonian general h. Simia- The slave who pretends to be Harpax 3. Summary: Setting: In Athens; the action mainly occurs in/around the houses of Ballio and Simo/Calidorus Pseudolus is presented with the challenge of getting back Phoenicium, the girl Calidorus is in love with. Ballio, her procurer, has sold Phoenicium to a Macedonian general and Calidorus wants Pseudolus to figure out a way to keep her from being taken away. When the messenger (Harpax) brings some of the money to Ballio’s house to pay for Phoenicium and take her away, Pseudolus pretends to be Ballio’s slave. He tells the messenger to go to an inn and wait for Ballio. Meanwhile, Pseudolus gets a slave named Simia to act like the messenger and trick Ballio into thinking he is Harpax. Simia (pretending to be Harpax) pays Ballio the money and takes away Phoenicium. When the real Harpax asks for Phoenicium, Ballio discovers that Pseudolus has tricked him again. In this way, the clever Pseudolus was able to save Phoenicium from being taken away to the Macedonian general. Calidorus is delighted because his love has been recovered. And Pseudolus gets paid because he made a bet with Simo, Calidorus’ father, that he could outsmart Ballio and get Phoenicium back. Variation of the Basic Triangle: Phoenicium (the slave girl who is being sold and taken away) Calidorus (young man in love with Phoenicium) Ballio (pimp who is selling Phoenicium, therefore blocking their love) Pseudolus (clever slave who saves Phoenicium for Calidorus) 4. Quotes: a. "Phoenicium Calidoro amatori suo per ceram et lignum litterasque interpretes lacrumans titubanti animo, corde et pectore.” (Lines 39-43) " Phœnicium to her lover, Calidorus, by means of wax and string and letters, her exponents, sends health, and safety does she beg of you, weeping, and with palpitating feelings, heart, and breast." b. “Leno me peregre militi Macedonio minis viginti vendidit, voluptas mea” (Lines 49-50) "The procurer has sold me, my love, for twenty minæ, to a Macedonian officer from abroad.” c. '“'Non tu istinc abis? Nihil est hodie hic sucophantis quaestus: proin tu Pseudolo nunties abduxisse alium praedam, qui occurrit prior Harpax.” (Lines 94-97 “Will you not be off from here? There's no profit here for swindlers to-day. Therefore you may tell Pseudolus that another person has carried off the prize-the first Harpax that came.” 5. Observations: - ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is based on this play -It is one of Plautus’ greatest plays -Pseudolus is the ultimate clever slave 6. Questions: a. What is the name of Plautus' most clever slave, who is able to keep Phoenicium from being sold and taken away to a Macedonian general? b. In Plautus' play Pseudolus, what is the name of the young man who is in love with Phoenicium? c. The movie A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is based on which Plautus play? By: Ty Nelson Rudens Stichus Trinummus Truculentus TERENCE Andria Hecyra Heautontimoroumenos Eunuchus Porter Harrast 1. Plot: In the beginning, the young Athenian Phaedria is complaining to his slave, Parmeno, about Thais, a girl he loves but who, from his point of view, also shuts him out and plays with him mercilessly. When she tells him she wants a present a rich soldier named Thraso has, he almost gives up, but loves her so much he gives her two gifts, a slave girl and a eunuch. At the port where Thais is departing, Phaedria's brother Chaerea sees Pamphila, Thais's childhood friend and also the present (slave girl) of Thais from Thraso, and chases after her. Seeing Parmeno following, he asks him who the beautiful girl is. He convinces Parmeno to let him take the eunuch's place to get into her house, and then goes along with it for a while. But when everyone leaves and he is left to watch over her, he rapes her. Thraso and Thais end up having a fight and Thraso wants Pamphila back because Thais doesn’t love him as much as Phaedria, but when he comes to get her he finds Pamphira is in love with Chaerea and wont be parted with him. When Chremes arrives, he recognizes Pamphira, who is his sister, and the whole family and friends are happily together. 2. Characters: -Phaedria: young man in love with Thais. Master of slave Parmeno -Pamphila: sister of Chremes and childhood friend of Thias. Captured by Thraso. -Thias: object of Phaedria's and Thraso's love, friend of Pamphila -Thraso: soldier who gives Thais a slave girl, Pamphila. -Chaerea: brother of Phaedria who loves Pamphila -Chremes: brother of Pamphila -Parmeno: slave of Phaedria Dorus: the real eunuch Gnatho: deliverer of Pamphila, Thraso's yes-man Pythias: Thais's female attendant Dorias: another servant of Thais Antipho: friend of Parmeno's Laches: father of Chaerea and Phaedria 3.Quotes: "O Thais, Thais, I wish that I had equal affection with yourself, and that it were in like degree, that either this might distress you in the same way that it distresses me, or that I might be indifferent at this being done by you." -- "O Thais, Thais, utinam esset mihi pars aequa amoris tecum, ac pariter fieret, ut aut hoc tibi doleret itidem ut mihi dolet, aut ego istuc abs te factum nihili penderem." "Oh, lucky Eunuch that! really, to be sent as a present to that house! --"O fortunatum istum eunuchum qui quidem in hanc detur domum!" 4. Comments: Never says whether Pamphila wants to marry Chaerea or not. Tokens used to find separated children like the rings in a funny thing happened Eunuch is castrated male Phormio Adelphoe Category:PLAUTUS